Toilet-paper holder.



1%. 730,452. PATBNTED JUNE 9, 1903.

y .R. B. FRIEND.

TOILET PAPER HOLDER. APPLIOA'HOR rum) 1120.2, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

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rran STATES Patented June 9, 1903.

ROGER B. FRIEND, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

TOILET-PAPER HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 730,452, dated June 9, 1903. Application filed December 2, 1902. Serial No. 133,618. (No model.)

T0 on whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROGER B. FRIEND, acitizen of the United States, residing in Oakland, county of Alameda, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Toilet-Paper Holders; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same. Y

My invention relates to a device which is designed to hold toilet-paper and to present it so that it can be removed from the holder in small quantities only.

It consists of a box having dimensions sufficient to contain the paper, which is put up in packages of a thousand sheets, more or less, a spring-pressed platform by which the package is held against the delivery side, a slit or opening through which the edge of the paper is presented, and means for holding the paper so that it will not be discharged in too large quantities.

It also comprises details of construction,

which will be more fully explained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a top view of my invention with cover removed. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of same. Fig. 3 is a top view of same with cover in place. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical section of same. Fig. 5 is a top view of paper package. Fig. 6 is a detail view of slots for rods. Fig. 7 is a transverse section of cover.

It is the object of my invention to provide a cheap and convenient containing-box for toilet and like papers which are interfolded and which when placed in a suitable receptacle present the edge of the paper through a slot, so that the withdrawing of the edge presented will act to bring-the edge of the following sheet or sheets into the slot and ready for withdrawal when the first sheet or series is removed. 7

The box A is made of suitable material and provided with lugs or means for attaching it to the wall or support, as shown at 2. The dimensions of the box are of sufficient length and width to just contain the sheets of paper faud when folded and made into packages will have a little less length and width than the interior of the box, and the depth of the box is sufficient to contain a package of any suitable or desired number of sheets, as one thousand, more or less. Within the box is a spiral spring 3, having plates at secured to the 5, having inturned flanges which are adapted I to engage corresponding guides 6, which are turned outwardly upon opposite edges of the box. The cover is thus easily slidable over the top of the box and may have any suitable stopplate at the rear end, as shown at '7, and at the opposite end an indentation 8' is adapted to engage a projection 8 upon the upper edge of the box, there being sufiicient elasticity to allow of the engagement, so as to hold the plate in place, butit will be manifest that any suitable or desired latch, catch, or fastening may be employed.

For domestic use a simple spring-catch, such as is here described, will be snfiicient, but when designed for public use a hasp 9, carried by the cover, is adapted to engage with a staple 10, fixed to the side of the box, and this may be secured by a look, as 10*. Any form of back may be employed. The cover has an open central slot 12, made from end to end, corresponding with the edges of the paper to be withdrawn.

The paper is made up, as previously stated, in packages, the sheets being folded centrally and so-arranged that the lower flap of each sheet above interlocks and engages with the upper fiap of the following sheet. Itwillbeunderstood that these sheets may be told ed together singly; but I prefer to fold two or more sheets in each series, so that the lower flap, composed of two or more sheets of the upper series, will engage with the corresponding two or more upper folds of the next series below. The operation being precisely the samethat is, when the upper edge or edges of the uppermost sheet or sheets are presented through the opening 11 by pulling them out-the lowermost portion of these sheets being folded below the upper edges of the next contiguous sheets will draw these upper edges into the opening just before the upper sheets are entirely released, thus leaving the edges of the next sheets ready to be withdrawn.

In order to properly hold the paper and prevent its being dragged out too rapidly, I have shown rods or bars 12, extending across the upper portion of the box upon each side of the central slit 12, so that the pressure of the spring holds the top of the package against these bars, and when a sheet is withdrawn through the slot it must be drawn beneath the bar upon the side from which the sheet is being drawn toward the slot, and this prevents any more than the one sheet and its connection being brought into line with cover is being replaced.

the slot. The next fold will draw from the opposite side, and thus alternately until the package is exhausted. The rods also counteract the pressure of the spring while the In order to conveniently manipulate these rods to leave the top of the box clear when the package is to be introduced after the cover has been withdrawn, I have shown the rods as slidable in holes'made in the end of the box, as shown, and these rods have enlargements or heads, as at 13, to preventtheir being drawn through the holes and lost. The opposite ends of the rods have heads 14, and when the rods are pushed through the holes, so as to leave the top of the box open, these heads 14 fit into countersunk chambers 15, so that the heads are flush with the interior of the box, the

rods extending outside of the box while the package is placed upon the upper springpressed plate, and the spring is compressed, so that the package is introduced into the box. The rods are then drawn over the top of the package and engaged with the opposite side of the box. I have here shown this opposite edge or side of the box as having slots made in it, as at 16, the vertical portion of the slots allowing the rods to be pushed down after they have been drawn fully across the box with the heads projecting beyond theslotted side. Then they are moved transversely and made to fit into notches, where they are held by the pressure of the spring against the paper, the upper surface of which paper then lies beneath the rods. The rods are easily turnable in their positions and allow the paper to be withdrawn without undue friction.

In order to cover and protect the projecting heads of the rods, I have shown the cover formed with a downward stop-plate 7, turned inwardly at the bottom, so as to close neatly against the side of the box and entirely inclose the heads of the rods. 7

In order to prevent the rods being accidentally disengaged from the holding positions in the slots 16, I have shown vertical plates 18 fixed within the inclosing stop-plate 7, so that when the cover is closed into position these plates form stops to prevent the heads of the rods from being moved sidewise to a point where they can be disengaged.

The paper is put up in packages, as shown in Fig. 5, and in order to insure the edge of the uppermost sheet or series being properly presented in the slot or opening 12 of the cover I have shown an essentially rigid strip 19, having projections or tongues 20 at opposite sides and central between its ends. This strip is secured in every case to the upper edge of the top sheet or series, which are so folded as to lie lengthwise about the middle from side to side of the package, and strings or other fastenings, as 20, connected with these tongues, hold the package together. When the string or wire is cut or disengaged, these tongues being released are in such position that when the package is placed in the box and pressed down the rods and cover return to their places, and the tongues will be in position to be grasped through the slot 12. Thus the uppermost sheets are drawn out and the packageisin readiness forsubsequent use.

The package may be placed in the box in its original form and after the cover is in place the string or wire may be cut by inserting a knife through the cover-opening. One of the tongues is thus released and projects up through the slot within reach, and the other, remaining attached to the cord, withdraws the latter when the rib-and tongues are pulled out, thus leaving the package in readiness for use.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A toilet-paper holder consisting of a box, a cover having a slot extending centrally from end to end, spring-pressed plates adapted to hold the package in contact with the slotted cover, and rods extending across the box upon either side of the slot, beneath which rods the upper surface of the paper is retained and guided during withdrawal, said rods slidable through one end of the box to admit the paper and means for locking the rods in position in the box.

2. A toilet-paper holder consisting of a box, a spiral spring having plates at opposite ends, one to rest upon the bottom of the box, and the other to support and advance the package of paper, acover havinga slot made longitudinally through its center, rods adapted to press upon the surface of the paper upon each side of the slot in the cover, said rods being slidable through one end of the box whereby they are withdrawn to admit the paper and locking-notches formed in the opposite end of the box with which the rods are engaged after the package is in place.

3. A toilet-paper holder consisting of a box, spring-pressed plates adapted to receive and advance the paper package, a cover having a centrally-disposed longitudinal slot through which the edges of the successive sheets are side to' receive said heads when the rods are withdrawn to admit a package. s

4. A toilet-paper holder consisting of a box, spring pressed plates located therein adapted to support and advance the sheets, a longitudinally and centrally slotted cover through which the edges of the paper are presented to be withdrawn, rods slidable through the top of the box upon each side of the slot and adapted to be withdrawn through one end of the box to allow of the introduction of a package, said rods being returned across the box to press upon the package when in place, heads upon the ends of the rods and lockingslots adapted to receive and hold said headed ends, and a projecting lip formed upon the box-cover to inclose said heads.

5. A toilet-paper holder consisting of a box, spring-pressed plates upon which the paper package is supported and by which it is advanced, a cover having a longitudinal central slot through which the edges of the sheets are presented for removal, said cover having guiding tongues and slides whereby it is movable to open or close upon the top of the box,

a downwardly-turned lip or fiange fitting against the end of the box when the cover is closed and having vertically-disposed plates fixed within the lip, rods having one end slidable through holes in the end of the box having the opposite ends provided with beads and open slots into which the headed ends of the rods are introduced after a package is in position, said heads being engaged by the plates of the cover-lip after the latter is closed to prevent their being disengaged from the slots.

6. A toilet-paper holder consisting of a box,

a cover having a longitudinal centrally-disposed slot, means for guiding and presenting the edge of the paper to be withdrawn through the slot after the cover is closed, consisting of a rib fixed upon the edge of the uppermost sheet of the package and approximately in line with the position of the cover-slot, said rib having tongues which are presented through the slot when the binding cord or wire is removed from the package.

7. A toilet-paper holder consisting of a box having a centrally-disposed slot made longitudinally in the cover, a package consisting of centrally-folded sheets, the upper and lower folds interlocking with corresponding folds of adjacent sheets to form a package, a rib fixed along the edges of the uppermost sheet with tongues whereby the packages may be tied together, said tongues projecting into the cover-slot of the box when released.

h In witness whereof I have hereunto set my and.

ROGER B. FRIEND. 

